Teen to face trial over loaded revolver

A judge has held that the case of a youth, who allegedly discarded a loaded revolver which then fired off a round of ammunition, is too serious to be dealt with the Dublin Children's Court.

The boy (aged 17) was arrested on October 30 last after a handgun was seized at East Road, in East Wall, Dublin 3.

The teen, who cannot be identified because he is a juvenile, was remanded in custody by the Dublin Children's Court on November 1 last after he was charged with two counts under the Firearms Act for possessing a loaded .38 Wembley revolver and five rounds of ammunition.

Today, accompanied to the proceedings by his father, the teen made his sixth court appearance where Judge Clare Leonard heard an outline of the allegations to determine jurisdiction.

Garda James King of Store Street station told the court that the teenager fled when he was approached.

He had said the weapon was allegedly fully loaded with six rounds, wrapped in a package and in his possession “in suspicious circumstances.”

Garda King alleged that the boy threw the package containing the gun, over a fence into a garden on East Road. It fired off a round when it hit the ground, the court heard.

“A bullet left the revolver leaving five rounds in of ammunition in this firearm,” he told Judge Leonard.

Counsel for the teen pleaded with the judge to accept jurisdiction and submitted that if the case were sent forward to the Circuit Court, his client would be then aged 18, an adult. Counsel submitted that this would expose the boy to a mandatory five-year sentence on conviction.

However, Judge Leonard held that the alleged incident was “not a minor offence” suitable to be dealt with in the Children's Court.

She refused jurisdiction and remanded the teenager in custody to appear again on a date next month when he is to be served with a book of evidence.